Stone sawing machine and blade therefor



Feb. 13, 1940. P. DE v. DAVAUCOURT 2,189,780

STONE SAWING' MACHINE AND BLADE THEREFOR '5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 29, 1937 INVENTOR V Plerre de iiryfl'imzucourt ATTORNEY3 WITNESSES 1940- P. DE v. D'AVAUCOURT STONE SAWING MACHINE AND BLADE THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1937 WITNESSES ATTORNEYS Feb. 13, 1940. P. DE v. DAVAUCOURT STONE SAWING MACHINE AND BLADE THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 29, 1937 I INVENTOR Paar/ e de Valzy llfiuaucour'z WI NESSES BYMMMW M ATTORN EYS 13, 1940- P. DE v. DAVAUCOURT 2,189,780

STONE SAWING MACHINE AND BLADE THEREFOR Filed April 29, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 om mm ATTORNEYS 1940- P. DE v. D'AVAUCOURT 2,139,780

STONE SAWING MACHINE AND BLADE THEREFOR Filed April 29, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 13, 1940 PATENT OFFICE .STONE SAWING MACHINE AND BLADE THEREFOR l Pierre de Vitry dAvaucurt, Astoria, N. Y.

Application April 2-9, 1937,. Serial N0.-139;692 1 In Spain May 23, 1936 V I 8 Claims. (01. 25 4 This invention relates to sawing machines and" more particularly, to that type of sawing machine known as a gangsaw and used particularly in sawing marble, granite, and similar materials.

These saws are usually constructed on a frame carrying from ten to, two hundred blades, which .frame is operated by an alternating arm over the.;rnaterial to be sawed.

At the present time, the blades used in these saws consist of a strip of steel which is placed in the frame under a tension of about four thousand pounds per :blade. A great number of blades are used'on a single frameor rack. The tension it-is essential that the rack be very strongly constructed and of great weight. A rack of this lweight necessarily requires a great deal of power ,to move itback and forth and its rate of movement is very slow.

The-blades used. in the present gangsaw are fastened to the rack by means of a hole in the endthereof and through which a steel key is inserted.

the use of blades from, three to four inches wide and from one-eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch thick, and places the greatest tension there-y fore on the center of the blade rather than on the contact edges where it should be. The result is; that the tension on the contact edges not be{ ing as great as the tension in the center of the bladesythe contact edge is more flexible and more easily deflected to the sides, and tends to ,WQELPIIIOTB in the center than on the ends. This condition is accentuated due to the fact that in previous machines the motive power moving the rack is stationary, and consequently the rack I must necessarily work at an angle when cperat- I Fig. 4; isa view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. l in the direction indicated.

ing on the top of a slab of stone to be cut. The blades used in a saw of this type do notcontain teeth and the cutting is really done by an abra- .mechanismsin which the blades are placed.

sive, such as sand, steel grains, or other anal- .ogous materials fed through the blades by a stream of water. v

As the blades wear in the middle, the tension of the blade naturally varies and the blade is apt to break duringthe actual'sawing of a block, thus necessitating replacement and causing delay iii-operation. Due to the present thickness of 5 the blades used and the fact that an abrasive :must be fed over them, considerable waste re- Thisform of fastening necessitates eighthsof an inch thick. Considerable stone is wasted in the sawing and due to the vibration of the blades, and the unsteadiness of the contact point,- it is impractical to cut slabs of stone less I than an inch or seven eighths of an inch thick. 5

An object of this invention is to provide a gangsaw and a blade therefor, which. will overcome the disadvantages inherent in thepresent saws."

A further object of this invention is to pro-J0 vide a gangsaw which may be lighter in construction and which can be operated at'a greatly increased speed. =upon such a rack is very great and consequently 1 .gangsaw which will eliminate the vibration and @wear and; tear existing in the present devices used;

- Another object of this invention is to provide 3A still further object of the invention is to provide a gangsaw in which the tension on the blades may be controlled and-placed at the proper, 20 o nt-in, I

:A sti-llgfurther'object is to provide a gangsaw which will ;be more efiicient in its operation and With these and other objects in view, which *Yliill appear as the description proceeds, reference is had tothe accompanying drawings: Fig tlshows a side view of a portion of applicants device in which the power portion of the i how Fig. 2 is a top view of the same portion shown -in Fig. 1 and also howing a portion of the rack in whichthe. blades are placed. I v3 Fig.3 is a view taken on. the line 3-4 of Fig. 1 v

the direction indicated.

Fig.5: is a side view oft-the rack and supporting 40 .Fig, 6 is a top view in section of a part of the device shown in -5. Fig.5? isa view showing the manner of fastenv on the contact surfaces'throughout the length i ng-the saws into the rack. v f Fig. 8 is a top view of the blades'and hook .shown in ,Fig. 7. j 3 Figs. Sand l0 are views of a modification of th'e partsshown in Figs. Tand 8, one being a side ;vi ew'and,one a top view. Referring- -more specifically to the drawings in." suits; It willbe appreciated that a blade threcsixteenths of an inch thick with an abrasive on its'sides as well as on the contact edge thereof, .wi m ke a cut of r m z i te i ib e which the numbers represent the various parts, I; provide a carriage lEl, consisting of a series of longitudinal beams i with appropriate cross of wheels 14. At either end of the carriage Ill are a plurality of shock absorbers [5. While any type of shock absorbers may be used, I have shown a rod iii and stop l! which step ii is firmly bolted to the track i3 or the foundation i8. On either side of the stop l1 mounted on the rod 16 are springs i9 held in place by the washer 29 and the nut 2 l. By tight-- ening the nut 26 upon the rod is the tension of the shock absorbers i5 may be varied and the movement of the carriage l8 upon the track i3 limited. Mounted on each of the girders i! is an upward-extending pillar 22 which is braced by means of the cross-girders 23 or by other suitable means.

Within each of the pillars 22 is a spirallythreaded screw 24 which is operated by a gear 25 which cooperates with a similar gear 26. Mounted on each of the spirally-threaded screws 24 are links 21. The links 2? have inwardly-extending edges 28 which are guided by outwardlyextending flanges 29 of the pillars 22, so that the turning of the column 24 by means of the gear 25 will cause the links 2'! to be raised or lowered in track i3 by means accordance with the direction in which the spiral ew is turned. The links 21 are pivoted at 3% to a frame 3.. This frame 3! consists of a plurality of girders 32 and the opposite end of said frame rests upon the roller 33, which is positioned in the carriage ii to allow the forward movement thereof when the links are moved upwardly. The frame 3! is provided with a platform consisting of cross-pieces 34 and 35 upon which is positioned the motor 38 which is supplied with a belt pulley 3?, supported by the upright 38. At the other end of the girders 32 is mounted an axle 39 which extends through said girders 32 and upon which there is mounted a center drive wheel 45%. On the outer ends of said axle are mounted two crank discs 4| and 42 with crank pins 43 and 44. Running from the belt pulley 3! to the large drive wheel is a belt 45 and extending from the upright 38 is an arm 46 pivoted to said upright at 41. On the end of said arm is a weighted pulley 4B, which rests on the belt 45 to keep the proper tension on the belt and to allow for the extension of the belt when the frame 35 is tilted upwards. Also mounted on the frame 3! are a plurality of wells 49, supported by the braces 50 and the angle irons 5|. These wells 4% are receptacles in which weights may be put to steady the machine and to vary the weight thereof.

The axle 39 is provided with roller bearings 52 or a similar type of bearing to insure smoothness of operation and to prevent vibration. Attached to the crank arms 43 and 44 are connecting arms 54 and 55 which in turn are pivoted at 5B and 51 by means of pins 58 and 59 to the rack 60. The rack 59 is generally rectangular in shape and consists of several longitudinal members GI and 82 fixed thereunder and which are supplemented by the angle irons G3 and 64. The rack 60 is supported at either end by pivoted links which depend from a cross bar 66. While in the drawing I have shown a knuckle 6'! which is suitable for containing a bearing of Babbitt metal or suitable material any similar construction may be used. The cross bar St is supported on either end by slidable carriages 68 and 69, each of which have guiding members 10, bolted or otherwise fastened thereto, which guiding members extend around the flanges of the pillars H and 12. Inside the pillars ii and 12 are spirally-threaded screws 13 and 14 operated by gears 15 and 16 and in turn operated by the gears 18 and 19 and the rod 80. As will be seen from Fig. 5, a similar construction is provided at both ends of the rack 60 so that the entire rack may be moved upward or downward by the operation of the screws 13 and 14 on either end of the rack. The screws 73 and 14, the rod and the gears 18 and 19, as well as the screws 24, are operated mechanically by means not shown in the drawings, but which,

with the exception of a portion of the screw 24,

are common. With each movement of the rack 60 backwards and forwards a small lever is tripped which turns a rod operating the rods 80 and BI, thus gradually lowering the rack. This structure is common in the art and no claim of invention is made herein.

In the present invention, the frame 3| is likewise lowered by the operation of the screw 24 in the same manner. In addition to the automatic means of moving the screws 24, 13 and i4, ordinary mechanical means are supplied for raising and lowering the rack 50 and the frame 3|.

The girders 63 and 64 are separated sufficiently to allow the insertion of saw-bearing arms 82.

The arms 82 are usually made of steel or other suitable material and have at one end an opening for the reception of a wedge 84. The opposite end of the arm 82 is adapted to receive a blade 85.

In the past it has been customary to use single blades having a hole through the center thereof and fastened by a pin or a hook through the hole. This means for fastening does not give any way to control the tension on the edge of the blade. For this purpose I provide on the inner end of the arm 82 a concave surface which may be in the nature of a hook 86. The inner face 81 of the hook may be varied in accordance with the tension desired and curved so that the tension on the contact edge 88 and the blade 85 may be con- 1 trolled. As shown in Fig, '7, the inner face of the hook 8'! is slightly concave and consequently the tension on the contact edge 83 of the blade is greater than the tension at the point 89. I have found it advisable to keep the tension in both the contact edge 88 and the upper edge 90 of the blade greater at the central portion thereof as this prevents buckling.

The blade 85 may be a continuous strip of steel which is permanently fastened at one end to an arm and then stretched back and forth across the rack on the hooks 86 and fastened at its upper end to an arm 82. The ends of the blade 85 may be welded to an arm similar to 82 before the blade is stretched on the hooks.

After the blades have been brought from one hook to another, the wedges 84- are driven into the slots 83, thus tightening the tension on the blade sufliciently for the purpose. In view of the fact that the tension of the blade 85 may be controlled and extended along the contact edges, rather than through the central portions thereof, a much lighter blade may be used and it is not necessary to place as great a tension on the blade as was necessary where the blade was merely fastened by the driving of a pin through a hole in its center. Thus a thinner blade may be used with natural saving.

In Fig. 9 and Fig. 10, I have shown a modified form for use with a continuous blade. The arm 82 has a U-shaped end 9!, with a pin 92 inserted therethrough. The pin 92 is concave on its surface, the upper surface 93 and the lower surface 94 being larger in the middle thereof, 95. This places a greater tension at the contact point 88 of the blade 85 and thus gives it a firmer cutting edge.

'It will be appreciated that there are many obvious ways of fastening the blade, especially Where a continuous strip of steel is used. However, the principle of my conceptive idea is to provide means for controlling the tension at the various points of the blade in order to present a firmer and more efficient contact edge.

There is supported, over the saw rack, a plurality of bins, 96. These bins are pivoted at 91 and are fed by several overhead spouts, 98. The spouts 98 connect two pipes 99 and I00. Pipe I00 isconnected to a reservoir II which is fed by pipe I02. Pipe 99 runs to a pump I03, which forces sand or other abrasive material up through the pipe 99 and into the spouts 98. Water is also fed through the pipe I 00 into the spouts 98, where it flows into the bins 96. The bins 9B are provided with a partition I04 and, as previously stated, are pivoted at 91. When one side of the bin has become sufliciently filled with water and sand to overcome the weight of the other side, the bin tilts until it is stopped by the stops I05, whereupon it dumps its mixture of water and sand over the saw blades, 85.

As is shown in Fig. 5, the block of stone I06, is set upon the supports I01. The rack 60 containing the saws is then placed over the block and the screws 24 are turned until the end of the frame 3I bearing the crank arms 43 and 44 is parallel with the rack. The motor 36 is then started and the automatic lowering mechanism previously mentioned is set in motion. The rack 60 will be alternately drawn and pushed and the blades 85 work on the block of stone I06 in a seesawing fashion. Sand or other abrasives mixed with water is allowed to flow from the bins 96 through the saw blades. As the blades 85 with the aid of the abrasive cut their way intothe marble the rack 60 andthe frame 3| are gradually lowered so that the rack 60 is always parallel to the ground and the end of the frame 3| is even with the rack.

In the machine previously used, there was no way of raising the motive power and consequently the rack 60 often had to be worked at an angle. Moreover, the pull of the arms 54 being from a position lower than the rack tended to put excess strain on one end of the rack and causes the machine to vibrate excessively.

As the excess water and sand flowing from the bins 96 falls to the ground, it is caught by the drains I08 where it is returned through the pipe I09 to the pump I03 for later use. Due to the means set forth herein for the controlling of the tension of the blades, a much thinner blade may be used with much less waste resulting at either side of the blade. Moreover, the tension of the blade being properly placed, a much cleaner line is out. .The blades can be placed closer together and it is possible to cut much thinner slabs of stone than heretofore. The resultant product is much smoother since the motive power is in line substantially with the rack and the action of the rack is much smoother. The speed of the machine is also increased considerably and the cost of construction thereof reduced. i

I claim:

1. In a gangsaw having a rack, means for the reception of saw-bearing arms, saw blades on said arms, and means for exerting varied tension to different longitudinal areas of said blades said means comprising a contact face adapted to slidably engage the side of said blade.

2. In a gangsaw having a rack, means on said rack for the reception of saw-bearing arms, a continuous flexible blade fastened at one end and stretched back and forth across the rack on said arms, said blade being fastened at the other end, and means for controlling the tension of said blade.

3. In a gangsaw having a rack, a plurality of saw-bearing arms, concave contact faces on said arms, and a continuous blade stretched back and forth across said rack on said arms.

4. In a gangsaw, a rack, a plurality of arms positioned in said rack, contact faces on the end of said arms, and a continuous saw blade stretched back and forth across said rack and, engaging said contact faces.

5. In a gangsaw having a rack, means on said rack for the reception of saw-bearing arms, a continuous flexible blade fastened at one end to an arm and stretched back and forth across the rack on said arms, said blade being fastened at its either end, means for controlling the tension of said blade, and additional means for exerting greater tension at the edges of said blade than at.

the center portions thereof. r

6. The combination with a continuous saw blade of'a saw bearing arm having a contact face adapted to engage and position said blade, said contact face having a varied surface to exert different pressures at different points against said blade.

7. The combination with a continuous saw blade, of a rack, a saw-bearing arm mounted in said rack, and a hook on the end of said arm for the reception of said continuous blade, said hook having a curved inner face engaging the side of said blade.

8. In a gangsaw having a rack, the combina tion with a continuous saw blade, of a saw-bearing arm in said rack, and a pillar on the end of said arm for the reception of said continuous saw blade, said pillar having a concave inner face adapted to engage the side of said blade.

PIERRE DE VITRY DAVAUCOURT. 

